Wheeler's parents, Northwestern say new safety measures will be implemented

Three days after the Northwestern safety died following an asthma attack at preseason conditioning drills, Wheeler's parents said Monday they'll work with the university to see if additional safety measures should be implemented.

''If we can develop any procedures to prevent this from happening, we will,'' said George Wheeler, Rashidi's father.

''We don't have any details, we don't know the specifics,'' he added. ''But we will work together with Northwestern and try to come up with whatever procedures that we can to prevent this situation from happening to any other family in America.''

Northwestern athletic director Rick Taylor has already said that conditioning policies and the entire situation will be evaluated in coming weeks. The evaluation will be done by people outside the athletic department.

While George Wheeler and Linda Will, Rashidi Wheeler's mother, went out of their way to praise Northwestern, Will said things can be done to prevent another player from dying. She'd like to see oxygen at all practices and games, and said trainers should carry walkie-talkies and binoculars.

''The Northwestern family is going to remain a family. My son was and will be a Wildcat forever,'' Will said, fighting to keep her voice steady. ''They have assured us that a tragedy of this magnitude will never happen again.''

Wheeler, a chronic asthmatic, was running a series of sprints Friday afternoon when he collapsed, unable to catch his breath. Using his inhaler didn't help, and he eventually stopped breathing.

The training staff and paramedics performed CPR, but Wheeler didn't respond. The 22-year-old died about an hour later at Evanston Hospital.

Wheeler was the fourth young football player in a week to die during practice. His death came just two days after Minnesota Vikings tackle Korey Stringer died of heatstroke following an intense practice in stifling heat.

''As I said to the group of seniors who gathered over at my house last night, this tragedy is going to leave a grief, it's going to leave a hole inside of us for the rest of our lives,'' Northwestern coach Randy Walker said.

''But we believe that not only is Rashidi going to have a very, very big aspect of our football program this year, we can ensure -- and I've promised the family -- that there will be an ongoing, living legacy to Rashidi Wheeler.''

Northwestern offered to retire Wheeler's No. 30, but his parents asked that linebacker Kevin Bentley wear it instead. Bentley and Wheeler were both California natives, and the two have been close since they arrived at Northwestern.

The two were roommates, and it was Bentley who called Will on Friday to tell her that her son was dead.

''I'm going to change my number to honor him,'' Bentley said as Will put her arm around his shoulder. ''And to let him know that he's always going to be with us, this year and forever. So he can go out the way he should.''

The Northwestern players haven't practiced since Wheeler's death, and Monday's conditioning drills were canceled. The players were having a team meeting Monday afternoon, and a memorial service will be held Tuesday at the Alice Millar Religious Center on campus. A private funeral will be held Friday in California.

Flags outside Ryan Field remained at half-staff Monday, and there were several bouquets of flowers hanging on an entrance gate to the stadium.

''It has, but it hasn't, sunk in,'' Bentley said. ''Today and tomorrow will put closure to it. ... From that point on, I'm going to try and focus on getting ready for the season; going out the way he would have wanted us to go out, and doing the things we talked about doing.''